Ladbrokes is to introduce a new customer card in Australia which allows customers to instantly access winnings in their betting accounts, described by the operator as a “world first.”
The card will allow winnings to be spent via an electronic funds transfer at the point of sale or withdrawn from any ATM, eliminating the need to withdraw funds from payout windows or wait for money to be transferred to a bank account.
Ladbrokes Australia general manager James Burnett described the launch as “the biggest game changer in our industry since mobile betting.”
“What it means in practice is punters can now place a bet, secure the best odds on offer anywhere in Australia, watch their horse win and minutes later have cash in their hands to buy mates a drink at the bar,” Burnett explained.
The card will be promoted with a multi-million dollar TV and newspaper advertising campaign, and was developed in partnership with payment processor Emerchants Limited.
It will allow customers to withdraw up to AUD$1,000 a day from their accounts, and spend up to $2500 on the card. Currently customers may be forced to wait up to several days for withdrawals to be processed
Burnett predicted that other operators would also adopt the service in the coming months.
